The colonial power encroached the most fertile, above flood level, land masses of Assam for the tea estates and imported a community very alien to the socio-cultural life of Assam for the up bringing of the industry. The colonial powers have been getting their hands on mammoth profit of the tea industry until the dawn of colonial era.

No credible economic expert has been able to convince us about the importance of tea industry for the development of the national economy of Assam. Now the new policy of so-called ‘loss’ adopted by the estate owners has made the situation worse than ever. As we have mentioned, there would have no direct impact upon the national economy of Assam concerning the profit or loss of tea industry, nonetheless, the social unrest created by the so-called fabricated ‘loss’ situation will surely disturb the interrelated pluralist society of Assam.

The labour community of the tea gardens of Assam has become an integral part of the society of Assam despite their alien status of origin. Frequent social interaction and great pluralistic characteristics of the society of Assam ought to have the merit of this assimilation process. Henceforth, their sleeplessness necessarily wreaks insomnia of the other parts of the society of Assam.

The act of establishment of tea gardens upon our land was itself an invasion upon our only means of subsistence and the present policy of depriving the community totally depended upon the tea industry from their due salary, bonus etc. is amounted to hit the social establishment of Assam.

In this moment, to be very frank, Assam needs its deserved share from the tea industry against its means of subsistence. In addition, the labour community should be remunerated according to the international industrial norms to shake the further social disorder of the society of Assam. Time will proof whether force or amicability would work to achieve our just share.

[From: Freedom, FORTNIGHTLY newsletter, UNITED Liberation Front of ASOM, Volume 7 issue 19, October1, 2003]